Niners Nation
The San Francisco 49ers are 2-0 and tied for the lead in the NFC West. With a second divisional win on Sunday, the 49ers have a chance to start 3-0 for just the sixth time since 1990. Los Angeles, Arizona, and San Francisco all share the lead for the NFC West with a critical matchup with potential tie-breaker implications between the Cardinals and 49ers on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
After notching consecutive NFC road victories, the 49ers have won two gritty games, but how does the national media view them?
ESPN.com: The 49ers inch closer to the top ten at number 11
After the win in the Big Easy, the 49ers jump three spots to number 11, just ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, who are missing their starting QB as well. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com believes the 49ers have confidence in Mac Jones during Brock Purdy’s absence.
“When Brock Purdy missed two games with injury in 2024, backups Brandon Allen and Joshua Dobbs posted QBRs of 33.2 and 23.4, respectively, and the 49ers lost both games by a combined 51 points. Before Sunday, a quarterback other than Purdy hadn’t started and won with the 49ers since Jimmy Garoppolo in December 2022. But Jones stepped in against the Saints and posted a 67.2 QBR with three touchdown passes. San Francisco hopes to have Purdy back soon from toe and left shoulder injuries, but its confidence in Jones is for real if Purdy has to miss more time.”
NFL.com: San Francisco jumps two spots to number 13
Optimism is riding high for 49ers fans, but Eric Edholm of NFL.com believes the 49ers have much to prove despite their 2-0 start. I’m inclined to agree. However, the 49ers have won both games without playing a complete game in all facets, which I expect to happen sooner rather than later.
I had trouble spotting San Francisco in this pecking order. When I filed last week’s rankings, we still hadn’t received full clarity on Brock Purdy’s injury. If we had, I probably would’ve dropped the 49ers a slot or two in that edition, just as I did when Jordan Love was hurt in Green Bay’s opener a year ago. So, I was prepared to give them a slight downgrade here, even though they just earned a road win with a backup QB. But as it turned out, the rankings wave pushed them up. Mac Jones made some key throws in New Orleans — even with some mistakes, including the third-quarter fumble that kept the Saints alive. But considering whom he was throwing to, Jones played very well in his first start for San Francisco and can be trusted against Arizona this week if Purdy remains out. Say what you will about the defense, but once again, it kept the opponent in check and made a big play late to seal it. It hasn’t been easy, and the Niners still have a lot to prove, but they are 2-0 with two road victories.
CBSsports.com: Number eight...
